Editorial: Investigate claims of voter fraud

Was there an actual plan to commit fraud, or was this just barroom bragging?

In this screenshot taken from a video, Democratic operative Scott Foval discusses bringing people into Wisconsin from out of state. Attorney General Brad Schimel's office determined the video does not show any violations of Wisconsin laws.(Photo: Project Veritas Action Fund)

Undercover videos released this week by a conservative activist feature a Democratic operative bragging about campaign dirty tricks and seem to show a discussion of a plan to commit voter fraud. Given the pedigree of filmmaker James O’Keefe, who has been accused of selective editing in the past, skepticism is wise. But the smarmy actions described in the videos raise enough questions to warrant investigation by state or federal officials.

O’Keefe, who was responsible for the 2009 videos that ended in the implosion of the community organizing group ACORN, portrays the discussions recorded with Democratic operative Scott Foval and others as evidence of a plan to commit voter fraud. Democrats claim it’s impossible to say exactly what Foval was discussing.

Foval, who had worked for liberal groups People for the American Way and Americans United for Change, was let go by the latter group after the videos surfaced, the Washington Post reports. He has long been active in Wisconsin politics.

Foval and an interviewer clearly discuss “voter fraud” but it’s not clear whether they are discussing something that has actually happened or an idea that, in theory, could be carried out. There is talk of how best to bring people in from out of state — by bus or by car — to avoid detection. At one point, Foval notes that he “thinks as an investigator first. … I think backwards from how they would prosecute if they could, and then try to build out the method to avoid that.”

Investigations and academic research have found that voter fraud is extremely rare in the United States. That’s why we have opposed voter ID, which makes it harder for some groups of people to vote — typically the poor and minorities — and does little to prevent the most common types of fraud.

Nevertheless, there is widespread concern about the integrity of the vote and that’s reason enough for state Attorney General Brad Schimel and perhaps federal authorities to investigate. Schimel's office hinted Thursday that the AG might look into the matter.

Was this barroom braggadocio or something more sinister? Schimel should find out.